ALDERCAR
WAR MEMORIAL

The memorial
isLLocated at St John’s Church, Dunstead Road, Aldercar, Derbyshire.
The memorial is in the form of a stone Celtic cross set on a plinth
that bears the inscriptions on plaques, the whole memorial being set
on a stepped base. There are 19 names listed for World War 1 and 8
names for World War 2.

Picture
to follow

THIS
CROSS IS ERECTED IN THANKFUL REMEMBRANCE OF THE MEN FROM THE CHURCH
AND DISTRICT WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN THE GREAT WAR 1914-1918. MAY THEY
REST IN PEACE

Private
CH/885, 3rd Royal Marine Battalion, Royal Marine Light Infantry.
Died of dysentery in RN Hospital Mudros 13 July 1918. Aged 25.
Born 11 April 1893 at Denby, Ripley, Derbyshire. Son of James
and Bertha Potts, of Claremont, Derby Rd., Marehay, Derbyshire
and later son of Bertha Pots, of Aldercar Lodge, Langley Hill,
Notts. Formerly a Private in Sherwood Foesters (Nottinghamshire
and Derbyshire Regiment) transferred to Royal Marine Light Infantry
for short-service 16 September 1914. with Chatham Battalion, MEF
from 6 February 1915 to 20 September 1915, then with Chatham Division
21 September 1915 to 14 January 1916, allocated to HMS "Royal
Arthur" 15 January 1916 to 20 March 1918 then back to Chatham
Division 21 March 1918 to 9 May 1918 then with 3rd Royal Marine
Battalion from 10 Mat 1918 until his death. Buried in PORTIANOS
MILITARY CEMETERY, Lemnos, Greece. Plot III. Row C. Grave 332.

Gunner
940685, 122 Field Regiment, Royal Artillery. Died while being
transported to Japan on the ship Hofuku Maru 21 September 1944.
Aged 25. Son of Henry John and Elizabeth Hitt, of Aldercar,
Derbyshire; brother of Henry and Ronald (below). No known grave.
Commemorated on SINGAPORE MEMORIAL, Kranji War Cemetery, Kranji,
Singapore. Column 20.

Note:
Hofuku Maru also named Toyofuku Maru. On 21st September 1944 the
Hofuku Maru sailed with Convoy MATA-27 for Takao in Formosa. She
was attacked by an American aircraft carrier about 80 miles north
of Corregidor, the aircraft carrier’s planes sunk the whole
fleet including the Hofuku Maru, not knowing she carried prisoners.
The Hofuku Maru was carrying 1,289 prisoners from Manila to Japan,
1,047 were lost.

HITT

Henry
[Charles]

Able
Seaman P/JX 217286, H.M.S. "Pozarica", Royal Navy.
Died 29 January 1943. Aged 26. Son of Henry John and Elizabeth
Hitt; husband of Lilian May Hitt, of Heanor, Derbyshire; brother
of Arthur (above) and Ronald (below). No known grave. Commemorated
on PORTSMOUTH NAVAL MEMORIAL, Hampshire. Panel 74, Column 3.

In
August 1940 Pozarica was requisitioned by the Royal Navy and
converted to an Anti-Aircraft ship. On the afternoon of 29 January
1943, HMS Pozarica was escorting coastal convoy TF.14, running
between Algerian ports. Off Bougie, the convoy was attacked
by 2 squadrons of torpedo planes, one made up by 13 German aircraft
(10 He.111 and 3 Ju.88 from I and III/KG.26), the other consisting
of 8 Italian S.79 from the 105th, 130th and 132nd Groups. Two
of the escorts, destroyer Avon Vale and Flakship Pozarica were
hit by, respectively, the German and by the Italian planes.
Avon Vale, hit at 21:10 hrs, was forced to run herself aground
with the bows totally wrecked, while Pozarica hit at the stern
at 19:45 hrs, managed to reach Bougie roads. On 13 February,
while under salvage, Pozarica suddenly capsized and settled
on the bottom. The wreck was refloated postwar and towed to
Italy for scrapping, beginning in May 1951.

HITT

Ronald

Able
Seaman P/JX 393808, H.M.S. Trumpeter, Royal Navy. Died in United
Kingdom 7 December 1944. Aged 22. Son of John Henry and Elisebeth
Hitt (sic - Henry John and Elizabeth Hitt); husband of Phyllis
Hitt, of Kirk Hallam, Derbyshire; brother of Henry and Arthur
(above). Buried east of the church in ST. CATHERINE CHURCHYARD,
COSSALL, Nottinghamshire.

Note:
HMS Trumpeter movements during 1944

Between
29 January and 11 February the Trumpeter moved from Belfast to
Dundee.

In
the period between May and July 1944 the carriers Argus and Ravager
were used for deck landing training, but for short periods they
were relieved by Trumpeter, Khedive and Rajah. During this period
275 qualified in deck landing on one of the five carriers, while
20 took refresher courses. The Trumpeter was used by the Hellcat
Is of No.1840 Squadron in June and by the Fireflies of No.1771
Squadron.

After
this period of training the Trumpeter joined the active part of
the Home Fleet, carrying the Wildcats and Avengers of No.846 Squadron,
which embarked on 5 July 1944. The Trumpeter spent most of the
next year operating off the Norwegian coast, giving it one of
the most active careers of any British escort carrier.

On
10/11 August Trumpeter was part of a fleet that attacked Gossen
airfield near Kristiansund and mined the Harhms and Lepsorev channels.
Fighter cover was provided by HMS Indefatigable, while Nabob and
Trumpeter provided Avengers. The fleet also included the cruisers
Kent and Devonshireand two Canadian destroyers.

In
August 1944 the escort carriers Nabob and Trumpeter took part
in Operation Goodwood I to IV, a series of attacks on the Tirpitz.
The main strike force was provided by the fleet carriers Formidable,
Indefatigable and Furious, while the Nabob and Trumpeter carried
out diversionary operations (under the name Operation Offspring).
On 22 August the Nabob was torpedoed and badly damaged. Trumpeter
abandoned her planned mine-laying operations, and covered the
Nabob as she limped back across the North Sea.

On
12 September Avengers from the Trumpeter laid mines off the Norwegian
coast, with cover provided by Seafires from HMS Furious.

On
28 September Trumpeter and Fencer left Scapa Flow at the start
of three days of anti-U-boat patrols in the North Sea. On 2-4
October Trumpeter was once again involved in anti-U-boat operations,
this time with Force 9, part of the Western Approaches Command.

On
14/15th October Trumpeter and Fencer laid 22 mines in Norwegian
waters and attacked a medium sized merchant ship and two flak
ships.

On
24th October Trumpeter and Campaniacarried out another mine-laying
mission in Norwegian waters, accompanied by six destroyers. Bad
weather meant that a planned anti-shipping strike was cancelled,
but three radar stations were attacked.

On
6-7 November the escort carriers Premier and Trumpeter laid mines
off the Norwegian coast, while at the same time the Implacable
carried out an anti-shipping sweep.

On
7 December Wildcats from Trumpeter escorted Avengersfrom Premier
as they laid ten mines in Salhuss Trommen. One Wildcat was lost
after force-landing in the water.

The
Trumpeter was back off the Norwegian coast on 14 December, this
time with HMS Premier, the cruiser Devonshire and six destroyers.
This time the carriers were attacked by three German torpedo bombers,
one of which was claimed shot down.

During
1944 six officers and men from No.846 Squadron won awards for
their part in Operation Offspring, mine-laying off the Norwegian
coast.